Gap closer device for circular knitting machines



Feb. 26, 1963 R I. WHITLOCK 3,073,698

GAP CLOSER DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I6 u INVENTOR. RUSSELL I. WHITLOCK ATTORNEYS Feb. 26, 1963 R. 1. WHITLOCK 3,078,693

GAP CLOSER DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5 RUSSELL. 1. WHITLOCK} ATTORNEY5 R I. WHITLOCK Feb. 26, 1963 GAP CLOSER DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filedsept. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR: RUSSELL I. WHH'LOCK Bymnfimaiwhxn z ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice 3,078,598 Patented Feb. 26, 1953 s,e7s,e9s GAP CLUSER DEVHIE FQFR CIRQULAR KNITTING MAQl-HNES Russell E. Whitlech, Hickory, Nil, assiguor to Windy City Knitting Mills, lnm, Hickory, N.., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Sept. '7, 1961, Ser. No. 136,553 12 Claims. (Cl. 66-112) This invention relates generally to a gap closer device for circular latch needle knitting machines of the type having multiple yarn feeding stations and has particular application to circular hosiery knitting machines of the type which produce pattern effects by the so-called solid color method in which both the patterned portions and the heel and toe pockets are knit during reciprocation of the needle cylinder. A knitting machine of this type is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,217,022, dated October 8, 1940, issued to R. H. Lawson et al. Machines of this type have two yarn feeding stations and are known as the SC? and SCOP Hemphill machines.

Heretoiore, the operating speed of this type of knitting machine has been limited because gap closers have not been provided at yarn feeding stations to prevent the latches of the inactive needles from swinging into the gaps during the knitting of the heel and toe pockets. The active needles pass the gaps in a lower position so that their latches are not high enough to swing into the gaps, however, the inactive needles pass the open gaps at a sufiicient height to permit the latches of the needles to swing to partially closed position and into the gaps. It is well known that during operation of a knitting machine, the latches of the needles tend to swing outwardly by centrifugal force and when a needle passes an open gap in the latch ring at a suficient height, the latch will swing out into the open gap and engage the side of the gap to cause the latch to be broken or bent.

In an attempt to prevent bending and breaking of the needle latches, opposite sides of the yarn feeding gaps have been cut at an angle to provide a cam surface which engages the latch to return the same to fully open position. However, when the machine is in operation, the latches or the inactive needles are swung outwardly as they pass the gaps and the cam surface is not suilicient to assure the return of the latches to fully open position, with the result that many of the latches are bent or broken. When a needle latch is bent or broken, defective fabric is produced by the machine and the machine must be stopped while the defective needle is replaced. Fun thermore, the open gaps cause some of the needle latches to close so that the needle does not properly receive the yarn, thereby causing drop stitches.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a gap closer device for closing the yarn feeding gaps when needles are raised to inactive position to prevent the latches from entering the gaps and permit the knitting machine to be operated without breaking or bending of the needle latches and to permit operation of the machine at increased speeds. The gap closer also prevents the closing of needle latches, thereby eliminating drop stitches in the gore, and eliminates the necessity of readjusting latch rings when changing size of product or size of yarn.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gap closer device of the type described which may be economically produced and quickly attached to the knitting machine without requiring major modifications thereof.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a gap closer device for a circular knitting machine of the type having a pair of diametrically opposed yarn feeding gaps in the latch ring thereof and wherein the gap closer device includes a pair of spaced apart gap closers which are slidably carried by the latch ring for circumferential movement between first positions out of registry with the yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with the yarn feeding gaps to close the same, connector means extending transversely of the latch ring and securing the gap closers together, and pattern control means for moving the gap closers to and from the open and closed positions at the yarn feeding gaps.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FZGURE 1 is an isometric view of the latch ring of a circular knitting machine with the gap closing device of the present invention applied thereto and showing the conventional pattern drum of the knitting machine which controls operation of the gap closer device;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan View of FIGURE 1,

1 illustrating the gap closer device of the present invention in open position in solid lines and in closed position in dotted lines;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the gap closer device, removed from the latch ring and illustrating the locations of the main and auxiliary yarn feeding gap openings in dash-dot lines;

FZGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the main yarn feed gap opening in the latch ring and looking in the direction of the line i-l in FIGURE 2 with the gap closer in closed position;

FlGUl'lE 5 is a vertical sectional view through the main yarn feed gap opening, taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form of gap closer;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of the gap closer, removed from the machine, and showing the gap closer hold-down plates positioned thereabove.

The gap closer device of the present invention is shown attached to a circular hosiery knitting machine of the general type disclosed in said Patent No. 2,217,022 and only so much of the machine is shown as to render the operation of the gap closer understandable and reference may be made to the patent for a detai ed description of any of the parts not shown.

The knitting machine includes a latch ring, broadly indicated at 19, which has a pair of spaced apart yarn feeding stations, broadly indicated at 11 and 12, therein. The two yarn feeding stations are spaced degrees apart and are usually referred to as the main feeding station and the auxiliary feeding station, respectively.

The latch ring it) has a vertically disposed latch guarding inner periphery 14 which surrounds the circle of latch needles N (FIGURE 2) and which serves to prevent outward movement of the latches 15 (FIGURE 5) of the needles N when certain of the needles are raised to inactive position, for purposes to be presently explained. The latch ring it) is also provided with a hori zontal upper surface 16 which slidably supports the gap closer device of the present invention, in a manner to be presently described. A yarn hold-down plate 17 (FIGURES 1 and 2) extends down inside the center of the latch ring 10 and is supported on a conventional support bracket, not shown.

The main yarn feeding station 11 includes a yarn feeding opening or gap 20 (FIGURE 4) which is cut in the latch guarding inner periphery 14 of the latch ring it Opposite sides of the inner portion of the gap 2i) are cut away at inclined angles to provide cam surf-aces 21 and 22 (FIGURE 4). These inclined cam surfaces 21 and 22 were designed to deflect any outwardly extending latches 15 downwardly to open position when the knitting machine is operating at a normal speed. Such inclined surfaces, at times, even at normal speeds do not deflect the extending needle latches 15 to the fully open position, which results in breakage or bending of the needle latches. When the machine is operated at a higher than normal speed, centrifugal force will be increased and cause the needle latches 15 to be thrown outwardly to a greater extent as they pass the gap 20 and then they engage the cam surfaces 21 and 22 with such force that they may not be properly moved back to fully opened position without being damaged.

The main yarn feeding station '11 is also provided with a plurality of yarn feeding fingers 25 which are pivotally supported at their outer ends on a pivot shaft 26 and have yarn guiding eyes at their inner ends (FIGURE The yarn feeding fingers 2-5 are moved to and from operative or yarn feeding position by conventional levers, not shown, which swing the yarn feeding fingers 25 in a vertical plane.

The auxiliary yarn feeding station 12 is identical to the yarn feeding station 11 and, therefore, parts of the yarn feeding station 12 which correspond to the corresponding parts of the yarn feeding station 11 will bear identical reference characters with the prime notation added. The knitting machine also includes a conventional pattern drum 30 (FIGURE 1) which is rotated in a conventional manner and usually makes one complete revolution with the knitting of each article of hosiery in a well-known manner.

The foregoing parts are all conventional parts of a circular knitting machine of the type disclosed in said Patent No. 2,217,022 and it is with this type of circular knitting machine that the gap closer device of the present invention is particularly useful. However, it is to be understood that the gap closer device of the present invention may be utilized in connection with other types of circular latch needle knitting machines having two or more gap openings in the latch ring thereof.

The gap closer device of the present invention includes first and second gap closers, broadly indicated at 35 and 35 respectively, which are rigidly connected together by a connector plate or bar 36 (FIGURE 3). The plate 36 is suitably connected to the gap closers '35 and 35' in any suitable manner, such as by screws 37. The gap closers 3'5 and 35' are substantially identical and corresponding parts will bear like reference characters with the prime notation added to the reference characters of the parts of the gap closer 35'.

The gap closer 35 includes a curved gap closer plate 40 which extends down inside of the latch ring '10 and the outside surface is curved to conform to the curvature of the inside surface of the latch guarding inner periphery 14 of the latch ring 10. Opposite ends of the plate member 40 are beveled as at 41 and 42 (FIGURE 4) to prevent damage of the needle latches '15 as the needles N move pass the same. The gap closer 35 has an outwardly extending horizontal flange 43 which supports the plate member 40 and which overlies the horizontal upper surface 16 of the latch ring 10. The flange 43 is supported in sliding engagement with the horizontal upper surface 16 of the latch ring 10.

Opposite ends of the connector plate 36 extends outwardly beyond the flanges 43 and 43' of the gap closers 35 and 35 and one end of a tension spring 45 (FIGURE 2) is connected to a screw 46, threadably supported in one end of the connector plate 36. The other end of the tension spring 45 is connected to a screw 47, threadably supported in the latch ring 10. One end of a Bowden wire 50 (FIGURE 1) is suitably connected to an upstanding stud 51 fixed to the other end of the connector plate 36. The opposite end of the Bowden wire 50 is suitably connected to the rearmost end of a control lever 52. The control lever 52 is pivotally supported on a shaft 53 intermediate its ends and its forward end is positioned to engage the pattern drum 30 and suitable cams 54 and 55 carried thereby. When the forward end of the control lever 52 is in engagement with the periphery of the pattern drum 3%), as shown in FIGURE 1, the tension spring 45 pulls the connector plate 36 to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 2. Then, the gap closers 35 and 35 extend across the gap openings 20 and 26' of the respective main and auxiliary yarn feeding stations 11 and 12, in the positions shown in FIG- URES l, 4 and 5, and in the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2.

When the knitting machine is forming the top and leg portions of the hose, the pattern drum 30 will rotate and the forward end of the lever 52 will move up onto the cam 54 to pull the Bowden wire to thereby move the gap closer device in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 2, from the dotted line position to the solid line position, and move the gap closer 35 and 35 out of registery with the respective yarn feed gaps 20 and 20' at the respective main and auxiliary yarn feeding stations 11 and '12. Thus, the gaps 20 and 20 will be open during the knitting of the top and leg portions of the hose.

At the beginning of the knitting of the heel pocket, the pattern drum 39 will rotate to a position where the forward end of the control lever 52 will drop oif of the cam 54, thereby allowing the tension spring 45 to move the gap closer device in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 2, from the solid line position to the dotted line position, and move the gap closers 35 and 35' into registry with the respective yarn feeding gaps 20 and 20'. Thus, both of the yarn feeding gaps 20 and 20 will be closed during the knitting of the heel pocket of the hose. During the knitting of the foot portion of the hose, the pattern drum 30 will rotate so that the forward end of the control lever '52 will move up onto the cam to thereby move the gap closer device to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 2 and open the gaps 20 and 20' at the main and auxiliary yarn feeding stations 11 and 12. During the knitting of the toe pocket, the drum 30 will rotate so that the lever will drop oif of the cam 55 and the tension spring 45 will move the gap closer device to the dotted line position in FIGURE 2 to again close both of the gaps 20 and 20.

It will be noted that the outwardly extending flange portions 43 and 43' of the respective gap closers 35 and 35 slidably engage the horizontal upper surface 16 of the latch ring 10 and the curved plate portions 40 and 40' closely conform to the inner surface of the latch ring 10 so that the gap closer device is supported for reciprocating movement in the latch ring 10. In order to prevent the gap closer device from raising upwardly out of the latch ring 10, holddown members 63 and 63" are secured to the upper surface 16 of the latch ring 10. The hold-down members 63 and 63' are shown as curved wires which are bent at opposite ends to receive support screws 65 and 65'. The screws 65 and 65 are threadably secured in the upper surf-ace 16 of the latch ring 10 and penetrate suitable spacers 66 and 66'. The spacers 66 and 66 support the wires 63 and 63 in spaced relationship above the upper surface 16 of the latch ring 10 (FIGURE 4). It will be noted that the wires 63 are spaced above the surface 16 of the latch ring 19 a suificient distance to accommodate the thickness of the flanged portions 43 and 43 of the gap closers 35 and 35 and the thickness of the connector plate 36.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the connector plate 36 is attached to the center of the gap closer 35 and adjacent the trailing end of the gap closer 35. Thus, the central portion of the connector plate 36 does not extend through the center of the circle of needles N but is offset to one side. In the present instance, the connector plate '36 is offset to permit operano a-. 8-

1- 3 tion of the yarn hold-down plate 17, which is supported for operation in the center of the circle of needles N.

During the knitting of the heel and toe pockets of the hose, 2. group of the needles which correspond to the instep portion of the hose are raised to inactive position so that their butts pass above the level of the conventional stitch cams, not shown, and their hooked upper ends are disposed substantially even with the upper horizontal surface 16 of the latch ring 1%. Referring to FlGURE 4, it will be noted that the bracketed group of needles A are raised to the inactive position while the bracketed group of needles B are in active position and take yarn to knit the heel or toe pocket. hits, the active group of needles B are not raised high enough that their latches could be thrown out into the throat opening Ztl, however, the inactive needles A are raised high enough (FIGURE that the lower ends of their latches 1:? would be thrown outwardly into the open gap 2t) except for the fact that the gap closer 35 extends across the gap 21' and prevents outward movement of the latches 15. Since the latches 25' of the inactive needles cannot be swung out into the gaps 2t) and 2d, the operating speed of the knitting machine can be increased without any danger of damag ng the latches of the needles.

For example, the conventional knitting machine is normally operated at a speed of 165 to 175 revolutions per minute and there is occasional bending or breaking of the latches of the needles. However, with the gap closer device of the present invention in operation on the same knitting machine, the operating speed may be increased. Since the gap closer device of the present invention prevent-s damage to the latches of the needles, no production time is lost because of latch breakage.

Referriru to the modified form of gap closer shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, it will be noted that the conventional parts of the machine are the same as the conventional parts of the 'ne shown in FIGURE 1 and, therefore, corresponding parts will bear like reference characters. The first and second gap closers 7d and 76 respectively are identical to the corresponding gap closers of the first form and are rigidly connected together by a connector plate or bar 71. The gap closers 76 and 70' have respective outwardly extending horizontal flan es 72 and '72 h overlie the horizontal upper surface 16 of the latch ring, in and support the gap closer device.

it will be noted that one end of the connector plate 71 is cut off flush with the outer edge of the flange '72 of the gap closer 7% while the other end extends outwardly beyond the gap closer 7%. An upstanding post 73 is supported for rotational movement on the outer end of the connector plate I1 and has one end of a connector link 74 adjust-ably secured thereto. The other end of the link 74 is suitably secured to the vertical leg of a bell crank 75 and the medial portion of which is supported for oscillation, as at '75, on the vertical leg of a bracket 77. The horizontal leg of the bracket 77 is supported for slight pivotal movement, as at 78, on a portion of the frame of the knitting machine.

The horizontal leg of the bell crank 75 has the upper end of a vertical control link 81 connected thereto. The lower end of the link is suitably connected to the rear end of a control lever S1. The control lever tilt is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a shaft 82 and the forward end is positioned to engage the pattern drum 3?? and suitable earns 83 and 34 carried thereby. The lower end of a tension spring tie is connected to the outer end of the lever 81 and its upper end is suitably connected to the frane or" the knitting machine. The spring 86 normally urges the forward end of the lever 81 into engagement with the pattern drum and resiliently maintains the gap closers 7d and 7%) in the closed position shown in FIGURE 6.

The cams $33 and 84 cause the gap closers 7G and 7d to be moved to open position to clear the respective gaps 2t) and 23' during the knitting of the heel and toe poclze a. as described in connection with the description of the first form of gap closer. In the modified form of gap closer, it will be noted that gap closer hold-down memhers in the form of arcuate plates 9%? and 99" (FIGURE 7) are provided. The plates are helt. in spaced relation above the horizontal surface of the latch ring by screws 91, 91 and spacers 92,, 92. Bearing screws 93, 93' are secured in the flanges '72, 72 of the gap closers 70, 7d to prevent tilting as they are moved from one position to another.

in some instances, it may be desirable to use the Bowden wire dd to control movement of the gap closers and in other instances it may be desirable to use the linkage shown in FIGURE 6. Also, the hold-down elements may be formed of wire, as shown at 63 and 63' in FIGURE 2, or they may be formed of arcuate plates, as shown at 9t? and 9% in FIGURE 7. In either event, the gap closers operate in the same manner to at times, such as during rotary knitting, close both of the gaps 2i) and 2d and to at other times, such as during reciprocatory knitting, open both of the gaps.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. in a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, a plurality of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feeding gaps; the combination therewith of (a) a plurality of spaced apart gap closers carried by said latch ring for circumferential movement between first positions out of registry with said yarn feeding. gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same,

(b) connector means secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles, and

(c) actuator means for moving said gap closers to and from said first and second positions.

2. In a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, :1 pair of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feeding gaps; the combination therewith of (a) first and second spaced apart gap closers carried .by said latch ring for circumferential movement between iirst positions out of registry with said yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same,

(b) connector means secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles,

and

'(c) actuator means for moving said gap closers to and from said first and second positions.

3. in a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, a pair of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feedin gaps; the combination therewith of (a) first and second spaced apart gap closers carried by said latch ring for circumferential movement between iirst positions out of registry with said yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same,

(b) connector means secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles,

(c) resilient means normally urging said gap closers to said second positions, and

(:1) pattern controlled actuator means for at times moving said gap closers to said first position.

4. In a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, said latch ring having a vertically disposed latch guarding inner periphery and a horizontal upper surface, a pair of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feeding gaps; the combination therewith of (a) first and second spaced apart gap closers carried by said latch ring,

(b) each of said gap closers having a curved plate member positioned in sliding engagement with the latch guarding inner periphery of said latch ring and a horizontally disposed flange slidably supported on the horizontal upper surface of said latch ring,

(a) connector means secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles, and

(d) pattern controlled actuator means for circumferentially moving the plate members of said gap closers between first positions out of registry with said yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same.

5. In a structure according to claim 4 including (e) a pair of hold-down brackets supported in spaced apart relationship above the horizontal upper surface of said latch ring and overlying the horizontally disposed flanges of said gap closers to prevent upward movement of the gap closers relative to said latch ring.

6. In a structure according to claim 4, wherein said pattern controlled actuator means includes (a) a pattern drum having cams thereon,

(b) a lever having one end engaging said pattern drum and adapted to be engaged by the cams thereon, and

(c) a Bowden wire connected at one end to said connector means and at its other end to the other end of said lever.

7. In a structure according to claim 1, wherein said pattern controlled actuator means includes (a) a pattern drum having cams thereon,

(b) a lever having one end engaging said pattern drum and adapted to be engaged by the cams thereon,

(c) a bell crank supported on said machine,

(d) a first link connecting one leg of said bell crank and the other end of said lever,

(e) a second link connecting the other leg of said bell crank with said connector means.

8. A gap closer device for use with multiple feed circular knitting machines comprising (a) a plurality of spaced apart gap closers,

(b) said gap closers being curved and positioned to define segments of a complete circle, and

(c) rigid connector means extending transversely of the circle and secured to said gap closers.

9. A gap closer device for use with two-feed circular knitting machines comprising (a) a pair of spaced apart gap closers,

(b) said gap closers being curved and positioned to define segments of a complete circle, and

(c) rigid connector means extending transversely of the circle and secured to said gap closers.

10. A gap closer device for use with two-feed circular knitting machines comprising (a) a pair of circularly arranged and diametrically oppose gap closers,

(b) each of said gap closers having a vertically disposed curved plate member defining a segment of a complete circle and an outwardly extending horizontal flange, and

(c) a connector plate extending transversely of the circle and secured to the horizontal flanges of said gap closers.

11. In a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, a plurality of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feeding gaps; the combination therewith of (a) a plurality of spaced apart gap closers carried by said latch ring for circumferential movement between first positions out of registry with said yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same,

(b) connector means secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles, and

(c) actuator means for simultaneously imparting movement to both of said gap closers to move the same to and from said first and second positions.

12. In a circular knitting machine having a circle of latch needles, a latch ring encircling said needles, a plurality of yarn feeding stations in said latch ring, each of said yarn feeding stations having a yarn feeding gap and a plurality of yarn feeding fingers mounted in each of said yarn feeding gaps; the combination therewith of (a) a plurality of spaced apart gap closers carried by said latch ring for circumferential movement between first positions out of registry with said yarn feeding gaps to open the same and second positions in registry with said yarn feeding gaps to close the same,

(b) connector means Secured to said gap closers and extending transversely of said circle of latch needles, and

(c) actuator means connected to said connector means for in turn imparting simultaneous movement to both of said gap closers to move the same to and from said first and second positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,740 Scott July 18, 1916 1,373,676 Scott Apr. 5, 1921 1,852,607 Gagne Apr. 5, 1932 1,859,137 Brothey May 17, 1932 1,883,990 Lawson et al. Oct. 25, 1932 2,869,343 Toone Jan. 20, 1959 2,946,209 Hass July 26, 1960 

